That Espresso Soaked Morning
by greyslostwho
Summary: Surprisingly, when you wake up, your first thought is for Monday morning." Sequel to In Perfect Silence, On Your Birthday. Birthdays Series number 2.


**Written for copycat, belated birthday :)**

**A sequel, maybe the second part of a series, following In Perfect Silence, On Your Birthday.**

Surprisingly, when you wake up, your first thought is for Monday morning. It's Monday morning, the alarm clock is glowing 6:15am at you, and you want to punch something.

Your second thought is for the man who rolls over next to you and wraps his arms around your waist.

That might be the start of a headache, banging in your ears, but you say nothing, think nothing of it, simply lean back in his arms. There was a fair amount of alcohol consumed, if you remember rightly, before the appearance of the walking, talking -kissing- bouquet of flowers last night, and you suppose you're paying for it now.

It doesn't matter, though. Nothing matters, not anymore.

Harry kisses you behind your ear and despite the familiarity that has crept in, even since last night, everything tingles like it shouldn't, your heart races.

"Morning." he practically growls, and you're impressing even yourself with your enthusiasm for this man when the heat pools in your stomach again and you give into your desires, turn in his arms, brand your lips against his.

***

"How do I look?" is the next cliched question, as you roughly throw on a long knitted jumper and heels for work, after having laughed at Harry wrinkling his nose at yesterday's boxers. Your cheeks are still flushed, your pupils slightly dilated - and he's not one to miss a trick.

"Well and truly screwed." he says with a wink and a quick kiss to your lower lip, stepping back before your hands have a chance to tangle in his hair.

You're frowning at him, but that simply makes him smile, which soon makes the shadow of a grin creep onto your face as well. He takes your arms in his hands, pins you to the spot and kisses you firmly before shrugging his jacket on and grabbing his wallet from the kitchen table.

"I've gotta go home and change." He says, as you ran out of time for that shower -together- with your antics in the bedroom. "Tell Leo I called you and... tell Leo there's traffic." he sighs, kissing you again, lingering. "I'll see you at work."

You're left standing by the door like a teenager after her first date, smiling dreamily and watching him drive away.

***

You check your reflection in the mirror as you drive off - you don't look that bad, the swelling of your lips has gone down, your cheeks have paled again, but as Harry had said, you still look 'well and truly screwed'. Even you can see it - that smile that won't quite leave your lips, that slight glint in your own eyes - you suppose that's what comes of finally sleeping with the best friend you've loved for so long.

You half groan at yourself as you pull away - did you really just think that?

You're sure now you have it worse than you thought.

***

You shout something in the general direction of Leo's office about Harry being caught in traffic - you can't face him and have the actual conversation, lying's never been your strong point - as you head down to the morgue.

Luckily - that's kind of ironic, because you doubt poor ninety-eight year old Eunice Watkins was lucky - you've got a busy and fairly dull morning with the post mortem of an old woman and paperwork from the last homicide case. You'd be lying if you said Harry and the previous night's antics didn't cross your mind, but at least you're somewhat distracted. Leo doesn't venture within ten metres of you either, so there's no interrogation from that angle.

Sometime between Eunice Watkins and lunch, a shadow looms over your desk - Harry's desk - and someone places an espresso next to your files.

"You don't look like you got a lot of sleep last night." he whispers in your ear, low and growling, and a shiver runs down your spine and your heart starts to race.

"I was... otherwise occupied..." you managed before he leans down and brushes his lips against your own.

There's a moment where you consider that this will never get old, your heart will leap every time he gets this close to you, and then you come to your senses.

"Harry!" you hiss, pushing him away, eyes darting around, "We're at work!"

He steps away from you with a glint in his eye that half worries you and gives you nothing but an enigmatic smile.

***

What you don't know is Leo happened to be walking past in that moment, and rolled his eyes and smiled at the sight before him.

You don't realise this for a while.

***

Until almost two months later, at the Christmas party, and Harry takes a step too close to you and fixes his lips firmly to yours in the middle of the dance floor, and Charlie's jaw drops open and someone wolf whistles, and Leo and Janet simply smile at the pair of you, shaking their heads.


End file.
